During wash and rinse cycles, dishwashers typically circulate a fluid through the wash chamber and over articles such as pots, pans, silverware, and other cooking utensils using spray arms or other devices named by their wash chamber position including, e.g., a lower spray arm (LSA), middle spray arm (MSA), and upper spray arm (USA). The fluid typically recirculates through multiple spray arms and/or other spray devices and may include separate supply conduits or channels to one or more of such devices. During a given cycle, the fluid is collected at or near the bottom of the wash chamber and pumped back into the chamber through e.g., nozzles in the spray arms and other openings that direct the fluid against the articles to be cleaned or rinsed.
Depending on wash and rinse cycle selection, one or more of the spray arms may be activated in order to perform certain cleaning and rinsing operations. It is advantageous to be able to selectively operate certain dishwasher spray arms or other spray devices in order to achieve higher energy efficiency, quieter running, and improved cleaning. Typically, a dishwashing appliance does not operate all spray arms or spray devices simultaneously because of e.g., the energy and water that would be required.
In certain conventional dishwashing appliances, complex valve assemblies, multi-channel conduits, and/or other mechanisms may be used to allow for selection of which spray arms or spray devices will be activated. Such constructions and mechanisms can add cost and complexity to the dishwashing appliance. Alternatively, some dishwashing appliances may switch between supplying fluid to the lower spray arm assembly and supplying fluid to both the upper spray arm and middle spray arm simultaneously. Depending on their construction, such appliances may also consume energy, require significant volumes of water to operate properly, and/or limit the ability to control which part of the dishwashing appliance receives the recirculated wash or rinse fluids.
Accordingly, a diverter that provides more options for controlling which specific spray arms and/or spray devices received fluid in a dishwasher would be useful. Such a diverter that can be actuated without employing complex mechanisms such as e.g., a solenoid would be useful. Such a diverter that does not increase the overall volume of fluid required to operate the appliance would also be useful.